When comparing Makerbot PLA Filament vs Taulman3D Bridge Nylon Filament, the Slant community recommends Makerbot PLA Filament for most people. In the question“What are the best filaments for 3D printing?”Makerbot PLA Filament is ranked 2nd while Taulman3D Bridge Nylon Filament is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose Makerbot PLA Filament is:

Since this filament was designed to be used with high-end, expensive Makerbot hardware, its mechanical parameters exceed the standards for regular PLA plastic, as shown in the raw [datasheet](https://eu.makerbot.com/fileadmin/Inhalte/Support/Datenblatt/MakerBot_R__PLA_and_ABS_Strength_Data.pdf) of the material. It's properties are very well balanced; the filament is quite ductile, meaning tensile strength is a bit higher than that of standard PLA, while maintaining the same high material elasticity. While it isn’t a groundbreaking filament, you can be assured that there is no aspect of this product that can be considered substandard.

Pros

Pro

Above average mechanical parameters

Since this filament was designed to be used with high-end, expensive Makerbot hardware, its mechanical parameters exceed the standards for regular PLA plastic, as shown in the raw datasheet of the material. It's properties are very well balanced; the filament is quite ductile, meaning tensile strength is a bit higher than that of standard PLA, while maintaining the same high material elasticity. While it isn’t a groundbreaking filament, you can be assured that there is no aspect of this product that can be considered substandard.

Pro

Health risks are lower than with ABS

3D printing PLA poses fewer health risks than ABS.

Pro

Has proven its value with the 3D printing community

As most Makerbot products, this filament has earned some popularity within the 3D printing community. While Makerbot recommends this filament with their own 3D printers, plenty of people have used this filament for non-Makerbot printers and are quite satisfied with the quality of the results.

Pro

No heated bed required

Using a PLA filament does not require your 3D printer to have a heated bed.

Pro

Available in 10 different colors

This filament is available in 10 different colors, all of which offer consistent quality and looks.

Pro

Proper packaging protects filament from mechanical damage, air and humidity

Makerbot’s packaging keeps the filament inside safe from damage The thick cardboard box protects from mechanical damage while the vacuum-sealed film (together with an included silica pack) keeps the filament safe from air and humidity. This is very important, as filaments absorb water extremely fast.

Pro

Has nylon-like properties

Based off Taulman’s popular and very strong Nylon 645, this filament is strong, very flexible and has low surface friction.

Pro

Several uncommon applications for 3D printed parts

Due to its strength and grippy surface, this filament can be used to produce weight-bearing surfaces, parts subject to friction and tapped/threaded parts. Its flexibility also makes it useful for fabricating plugs and gaskets.

Pro

Great technical documentation

The full technical documentation is available at Taulman’s website. This is especially useful for professional engineers and those in the academic field. Furthermore, the filament was reviewed, tested and certified by St. Louis Testing Laboratories, ensuring the published technical data is correct.

Pro

Affordable

A decent Nylon 645 filament can cost between $30 and $50. However, this filament is priced at around $20/$25, which puts its price on par with how much most PLA/ABS filaments cost.

Cons

Con

PLA's applications for 3D printing are quite limited

In terms of 3D printing applications, PLA is very limited. While it’s great for general prototyping and poses fewer health risks, it cannot withstand hot or humid environments: it degrades dramatically when exposed to direct sunlight, high temperatures (above 60ºC) or water. It is way less durable and flexible than materials like ABS and lacks chemical resistance. You need to be aware of what the limits are when using this material.

Con

Impossible to be used with a 3.0 mm extruder

If your printer has a 3.0 mm extruder, you won't be able to use this filament, since it only comes in 1.75mm form. For Makerbot, this is justifiable, since all of their hardware uses 1.75 mm.

Con

Difficult to use

Nylon and nylon-like materials are hard to work with and the setup process is quite cumbersome. A heated bed plate is absolutely necessary or the material won't even stick to the plate. You’ll also need to coat the heated base plate with Kapton tape or Garolite. As the material is quite flexible, non-direct-drive extruders won't work and a very short direct-drive extruder is needed. Getting everything just right takes some time, and it will be a while before you can start making decent quality prints.

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